By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
The Orange Water and Sewer Authority continues to gather public input on a draft forestry-management plan that drew fire from the community after it was released late last year.
The OWASA board of directors in December decided to extend the public-comment period for the utility’s plan for 1,900 acres in Orange and Chatham counties following intense public outcry surrounding the plan. OWASA is developing another draft in response to those comments, but has not yet determined a timetable for that process, according to board Chair Gordon Merklein.
“We still are getting input from resource experts as well,†said Pat Davis, OWASA sustainability manager.
The Carrboro Board of Aldermen, Chapel Hill Town Council and the Orange County Board of Commissioners in December requested that OWASA not act on the forestry-management plan at the time. Merklein said that the board will not make a final decision on the plan until they make additional informational presentations to and consider comments from all three boards.
“We do not have any active forest management work in progress or any scheduled at this time, so there is no immediate need to finalize the plan,†Merklein said in an email. The board and staff had originally targeted March for completion of the draft, but it has been temporarily set aside to allow them to focus on the fiscal year 2012 budget.
The original draft of the plan broke up the 1,900 acres into 17 properties with different types of forests, including areas around Cane Creek, Mt. Mitchell, Thunder Mountain and other parts of Orange and Chatham counties. David Halley, owner of True North Forest Management Services, the company hired by OWASA to develop and implement the plan, said the plan included protection for riparian buffers and involves hardwood and pine thinnings, cutting of low-quality trees, small-group opening harvests, controlled burnings of understory and reforesting. It also included clear cuts in some areas and herbicide control of hardwood sprouts and weed species.
Residents expressed strong opposition to the plan, citing concerns about the use of herbicides, the effects of clear cuts on wildlife, the disruption caused by forestry operations and the effects of the plan on drinking water.
OWASA’s primary objective for the plan, according to authority officials, is to protect water quality. Other objectives include establishing and maintaining riparian buffers, enhancing forest conditions, minimizing the impact of forestry-management activities on adjacent properties, restoring and enhancing the overall quality of OWASA-owned woodlands and generating revenue through sustainable timber harvests.
2 thoughts on “OWASA continues work on forestry plan”
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When the land was purchased the theme was to “protect the watershed” now it’s “generate revenue”. Cane Creek Lake was a cherished water resource to be protected by zoning rules and buying of surrounding properties but now it is viewed a source of revenue by cutting of timber and opening the lake up for recreation like the mountain to sea trails. The community opposed this project for years and what they received was the burden of protecting Chapel Hill/Carrboro water supply and a bully for a neighbor in OWASA.
As for public input it was just discovered that a number emails to the Board of Directors and staff were labeled spam. Public input on this forestry plan and other items of interest may have never been seen by the intended individuals. Maybe this paper should look into this issue.
I sadly agree with Patrick Mulkey. Land adjoining Morgan Creek near University Lake was sold to OWASA for the exact reason mentioned.. ‘to protect the watershed’ and probably for a bargain as the sellers who had owned the farm for generations loved the land and wanted to see it protected for future generations. Seeing ‘For Sale’ signs that have turned to ‘Under Contract’ is alarming.. I guess OWASA changed
their minds about preserving and protecting the land. I’m afraid to watch what will happen next. Thanks OWASA